The Atlanta Falcons conducted a second interview with former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Friday for their head-coaching vacancy and also interviewed Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Belichick first interviewed with the Falcons on Monday. Belichick won six Super Bowl titles — one by overcoming a 25-point deficit to beat the Falcons in overtime — in 24 seasons in New England before parting ways after the 2023 regular season.
Belichick, 71, ranks second in NFL history in head-coaching wins (regular season and playoffs) with 333. He trails only Don Shula’s 347 in that category while ranking third in regular-season wins (302), behind Shula (328) and George Halas (318).
The interview with Glenn took place virtually with the Lions scheduled to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC divisional round playoff game on Sunday.
The Detroit defense ranked 23rd in scoring defense at 23.2 points per game in the regular season and 19th in total defense at 336.1 yards per game. But the Lions racked up seven sacks and held Atlanta out of the end zone in a 20-6 victory in Week 3.
Glenn, 51, is in his third season as Detroit’s defensive coordinator.
Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback during a 15-year NFL playing career from 1994-2008. He intercepted 41 passes, returning six for touchdowns, while playing for the New York Jets (1994-2001), Houston Texans (2002-04), Dallas Cowboys (2005-06), Jacksonville Jaguars (2007) and New Orleans Saints (2008).
Atlanta has interviewed nine candidates for the post, including current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who guided the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season as an NFL head coach.
The others to interview with Atlanta are Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.
The Falcons fired Arthur Smith after Atlanta finished the 2023 season with the same record — 7-10 — for the third consecutive season under Smith.
–Field Level Media
